


Bloodline: Bonded

by Lady_of_Haven



Series: Bloodline [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Becoming a Vampire, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:06:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27530479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_Haven/pseuds/Lady_of_Haven
Summary: ‘I wonder what that voice would sound like in bed.’He coughs, reaching for his bottle of water, eyeing the girl on the front row. He thinks the voice is female, but you can never be sure. Then again, if his mate is in this room, he shouldn’t be able to hear their thoughts until he feeds from them, so the entire situation is untenable.He continues his lecture, watching as she shrinks into her chair, clearly reacting to his scrutiny.‘He’s scaring her.’He lifts his eyes to the left, staring straight into an amazing set of hazel eyes. Found you.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo
Series: Bloodline [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027623
Comments: 17
Kudos: 110
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp, ReylOlds





	1. The Change

**Author's Note:**

> Nano continues. I am supposed to be working on a bunch of one-shots.
> 
> I do not seem to be capable.
> 
> Smirk
> 
> Let’s see how this one goes.

“I’m sorry, Professor Solo. We can not drop that class, it’s a requirement for graduation and these students are seniors.”

“There is a 12 student minimum required for the class to proceed and there are only 7 on the roster, they should not have waited until their last semester. Aren’t there advisors to help the students prevent things like this from happening?” His frustration is pouring out of him in both volume and body language.

The provost looks about ready to cry. “Professor, I understand and for the majority of them what you said about waiting is true, but there is one student… she’s been on work study and there have been conflicts that prevented her from taking her final English credit, and the day classes are all during her work program. She’s never taken a night class before, but she’s willing to bend. She already has several job offers and she needs to graduate. The Dean was quite insistent that we accommodate her, she interned for a donor last summer and they want to hire her as soon as classes end.” The woman’s words flow so fast, he can barely keep up and he rubs the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off the headache.

_I need to feed._

“Is Hux available?” There is no use talking to her, time to goto the source of this nightmare.

She picks up the phone and waits, “Sir, he’d like a word.” She lowers the phone and looks around the room, anywhere but at him. The click of the clock on the wall echos through the room, pulsing with throb in his head.

Then, finally, he can hear Hux’s steady footsteps coming down the hall, accompanied by the flutter of his assistant’s heals. The door opens and Hux holds the door, motioning the provost to escape. The woman behind the desk collects her bag and runs… literally runs out. 

Hux chuckles, “You know the human staff gets nervous when we get excited, you need to back off.”

“There are only 7 students registered, Hux. I could use the night in other ways, you know this…”

Hux holds his hand up, studying him closely. “When did you last feed? Ben, you have to feed.”

Ben sits, running his hand down his face, “Everything recently tastes like ash.”

Hux’s eyebrows raise, his eyes wide, “You’ve met your mate and haven’t claimed her yet?”

“I HAVEN'T MET ANYONE!” Ben roars his frustration. He works, he teaches a couple classes a week, and he goes home.

Hux places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently with a sigh. “Emily.”

The assistant kneels in front of Ben, pulling her hair away to expose her neck as she tilts her neck in offering.

“Hux,” Ben grumbles.

“Class starts in 20 minutes. I had your TA send out the syllabus for you last week, your students will be there… and you can not go into a room of humans half starved. Feed.” Hux’s tone is firm yet kind, he really is a good friend.

Ben leans forward, trying not to touch the young woman in front of him as his teeth sink into her flesh. He pulls each mouthful quickly grimacing at the foul taste and stops as soon as his head clears, licking the wound closed. “Thank you, Emily.”

Hux helps Emily to her feet then escorts her to the door, closing it behind her.

“Ben, your mother called in a favor for this student. I am not going to tell you which one it is, but it’s important. Please.”

“Can’t I have my TA teach it?”

“Your TA can do your grading, he has a class himself tonight so he can’t sit in, but he’ll handle your emails, appointments and grading.”

Ben grumbles under his breath as he rises and heads for the door.

“Thank you, Ben.”

Hux follows, watching intently as the large man heads down the dark hall before he pulls out his phone.

It picks up on the first ring, “He’s heading to class now.”

“Good.”

___________

Ben pauses with his hand on the door knob, trying to catch his breath. His skin feels tight and itchy. _Hopefully I fed enough to make it through the next 90 minutes._

He opens the door and enters, heading straight for his desk, “Good evening, I am Professor Solo and this is ENG 330 Text and Context: Foundling Narrative. From what I have been made to understand, the seven of you are all seniors and this class is between you and graduation. I do not accept late assignments, if you do not attend class, the make-up is a 3 page paper on the week's reading. My TA’s office hours are listed in the syllabus and he will be handling grading, so don’t bother me if you don’t like your grade. Any questions? No? Good.”

He looks up at his students, scattered around the room. There on the front row is a girl, furiously taking notes. She’s dressed well and has her textbook already open. _Overachiever._

The student 3 rows behind her has their head down on the desk, there’s another guy eating and a male he thinks is on the soccer team who has headphones in his ears, head bobbing to the beat.

To his left there are two students sitting side by side. The dark male is attentive, looking back at him with interest, his arms laying across the back of the small woman next to him. She has a beanie covering her hair and is sketching furiously on the pad in front of her.

‘ _This is going to be torture.’_ He hears a small whisper in his head and he stiffens, knowing the voice is not his… he eyes the room again, studying each student as he starts his lecture. He’s given it so many times, he doesn’t even have to read it anymore.

The girl on the front row glances up at him, blushes, then returns to taking her notes.

The male eating finishes and leans back in his chair, lip curling in boredom as he flips through the syllabus.

‘ _I wonder what that voice would sound like in bed.’_

He coughs, reaching for his bottle of water, eyeing the girl on the front row. He thinks the voice is female, but you can never be sure. Then again, if his mate is in this room, he shouldn’t be able to hear their thoughts until he feeds from them, so the entire situation is untenable.

He continues his lecture, watching as she shrinks into her chair, clearly reacting to his scrutiny. 

‘ _He’s scaring her.’_

He lifts his eyes to the left, staring straight into an amazing set of hazel eyes. _Found you._

She drops her eyes, returning to her sketch as he continues his lecture, laying out how the class will proceed over the next 12 weeks. As time runs out, she tears out the page, turning it upside down on her desk then starts to pack up her bag. She nudges the guys next to her and they rise as one and descend the stairs. The rest of the class has already sped out the door as the two cross in front of him, the male putting himself between them. 

“And the two of you are?”

They stop, the male looking up at him. “My name is Finn and this is Rey.”

Finn is one of his kind, he can tell. Why he’s sitting in a college class is a mystery, but the girl… Ben’s breath catches as she lifts her eyes to his face. _‘I got the moles wrong. Next time.’_

He involuntarily takes a step forward and she retreats, Finn stepping to put his arm around her and lead her from the room, the motion pulling at her jacket and revealing an old scar at the base of her neck.

_‘Damn it Finn, what’s going on?’_

He forces himself to not follow, listening as their footfalls fade down the corridor. Then turns to look up at her seat. He’s picking up the paper a moment later, lifting it to his nose to inhale. The soft hint of jasmine has him closing his eyes, committing it to memory. Yes, he could find her now. He opens his eyes, turning the paper over.

It’s him, walking on the sidewalk between the english building and Skywalker Theatre, his mouth slightly open revealing slightly elongated teeth. He looks majestic and intimidating. _Is this how she sees me?_

He shakes his head at the impossibility of it all. Mates can only be heard after their blood is ingested… and he knows he has never seen her before.

It doesn’t bother him that she’s human, that can be changed, if she wishes it.

“Rey.” The feeling of saying her name out loud warms him and he gathers his things, slipping the drawing in one of his books. 

He walks to his car, comfortable in the darkness. A mate. Finally. His loneliness would come to an end. His bloodline was one of the few where vampirism was still passed down genetically, his body had been human until the gene had activated shortly after his 16th birthday. He had hoped, when it hadn’t happened at 12 that he would be spared, but it was just late. He had watched his parents struggle with keeping it a secret in this digital age. There aren’t many mysteries left in the world.

His change had caught him by surprise on a hike with his friends Hux and Poe. He’d actually bitten Poe as his friend had tried to drag him back to their vehicle. He’d ran back up the trails, trying to escape the burning that raced through his blood. When they found him, curled in a ball at the base of the mountain, he’d had several dead animals around him, drained dry.

He had woken in a medical facility for his kind, his grandfather standing over him looking concerned. Apparently, he is allergic to blood type O, his body completely rejecting it. He had almost died.

_‘Sigh’_

He forces himself to keep walking, turning at the junction to walk between the english and theatre buildings. He can feel her eyes watching, her curiosity tickles his mind and he smiles.

_‘He really is handsome.’_

“I am glad you think so, Rey.” He stops and looks over his shoulder toward the pillars that line the theatre. He can see her clearly, even as she stands in the shadows and she’s lovely… the way her heartbeat starts to race calls to the predator in him and he clenches his fist to resist. She’s already his, if he doesn’t fuck it up. “I am not going to hurt you.”

She’s keeping her mind blank, remarkably enough, so there’s nothing to hear, but he watches as her eyes rake over him then she turns to leave.

“Wait, don’t go.”

She looks back at him, “Finn is waiting for me. He’ll get in trouble if I’m late. I’ll see you next class.” She walks away and he lets her go.

He doesn’t remember how he gets to his car, or the drive back to his home. He just reaches for the phone on his desk and dials a number from memory. It rings twice and then he hears a soft, “Hello, Ben.”

“Mother, what have you done?”

She’s silent for the longest time then says, “So, she’s your mate.”

“Yes.”

“Call your grandfather.”

Ben shakes his head, “Mother.”

“I am doing what I was told, he’s the one that figured it out. You need to call him.” She hangs up on him and he stares at the phone.

He doesn’t want to call Aniken so he avoids it entirely. He thinks of her eyes as he showers, he thinks of the way she walks as he climbs into bed. Echoes of her soft mental voice resound in his head as he shuts his eyes. _Torture… sound like in bed… scaring… Damn it… handsome._ From what his father had said, he thought he’d get more from her than the fragments of thoughts. He remembers the drawing, perhaps she thinks in pictures instead of words, but then only the deepest of bonds can see through the eyes of their other. 

He drifts off to sleep, his subconscious hunting for its mate. His dreams are active, full of searching for something beyond his grasp and he wakes tangled in his covers.

He showers off the sweat, then puts on his best suit. He knows how this day is going to go.

Sure enough, as soon as he gets to the office, his secretary informs him that he’s wanted upstairs. He straightens his cuffs and his watch as he rides the elevator up, trying to remember the last time he’d been invited to the top floor. There’s a pause in activity as he exits and starts down the long hall, but everyone is avoiding his eyes. _Great, I am the last to know. Again._

The doors to the conference room are open and they’re all there, waiting for him, even Hux.

_I hate this._

“You only hate it because you are not yet complete.” Aniken Skywalker stands at the head of the table in total command of the room. “For those of us born with the gene, we must have our mate. Those turned by blood alone can be as solitary as they wish.”

There is nothing to say against it, everyone knows it is the truth. Legacies suck. He should have that tattooed somewhere. He can feel the slight pressure against his mind so he purposefully brings her to the forefront of his thoughts and he feels the smile that spreads across his grandmother’s face.

“She’s lovely, Ben.”

Ben shifts his gaze to her face, “She’s frightened. When did I drink from her?”

Leia shifts uncomfortably in her seat, “Now Ben..”

“The night you changed. She was on the mountain.” There is no censure in his grandfather’s voice.

Ben blinks. _She should be dead, newly turned vampires have no restraint._

“Yes.”

_She’s not dead._

“No, single bite and you walked away.”

 _How could you possibly know…_ his eyes shift to his grandmother. _She looked into my mind that night?_

“She did. You had always been relieved that the gene seemed to be dormant. At first we considered it was the child’s terror that repulsed you, so you shifted to animals.”

Ben goes to the window, feeling exposed under the gaze of his family and friends. _You said at first._

It is Hux that speaks next, “Last semester you taught on Thursday nights at 7pm in room 224.”

Ben nods his head, not liking where this was going.

Leia sounds worried as she asks, “When did you start to have issues feeding?”

Ben turns, brows furrowed and a scowl on his face. _What does that have to do with…_ “She had a class in that room,” he asks Hux.

“The 4pm class, your bloodline is strong enough to pick up on lingering pheromones. I knew something was wrong, you just weren’t… you.”

“The Emilys noted a change in your eating habits as well,” Padme whispers softly. “You are my only grandson, I worry about your allergy.”

_I wonder what blood type Rey has…_

His grandfather runs a hand down his face. “It’s O. That’s why you can’t drink another of that blood type. I think a part of you recognized her when you bit her. We can not harm our mates, it’s hardwired in us, Ben. Mates are precious.” The way his grandfather looks at his wife has always made people uncomfortable, but for Ben, it has always been the unease of intruding on something private.

Ben staggers back, leaning against the window. _How old was she?_

His grandfather slowly joins him at the window, his face full of compassion and tears well in Ben’s eyes as he feels a heavy hand on his shoulder. In a low murmur, Aniken gives him the worst thing he’s ever heard, “6.”

Ben’s mind blanks out in horror and he closes his eyes, only to see hers from across the classroom. _You should have let me die._

Ben heads for the door, ignoring the voices of his mother and grandmother calling his name.

___________

Rey barely makes it to the bathroom before her breakfast makes a return appearance. It hadn’t tasted funny, but she’s been nauseous all day. She checks her calendar on her phone. _Too early for my cycle._

She rinses her mouth at the sink and splashes the cold water on her face as the door opens and a very flustered Rose comes in. “Rey, are you alright?”

“I think I caught something. I do not feel well.”

“Finn says you didn’t sleep. Were you sketching again?”

Her roommate is a tattletale, he’s lucky she loves him. “Only because I was having bizarre dreams, I’ll be fine. Let’s get back to work.” 

They exit the bathroom, running into a worried Finn who immediately puts his hand to her forehead, checking for a fever.

“Rey, you feel clammy. I think you should go home and rest,” he panics, eyes darting down the hall. Rey looks in that direction, then gasps when he grabs her by the arm and drags her in the opposite direction. 

“What the hell, Finn,” Rey cries as she’s dragged into an office.

“Hey Poe, Rey needs to go home.”

Her boss, Poe Dameron, looks up from his computer to smile at his boyfriend, his face falling as he looks at her, “Rey.” He comes around his desk, lifting his hand to her brow. “Rose, go get Hux… he’s in the conference room.”

They lead her to a seat, Finn raises a glass of water to her lips, “Just sip. You’ll be sick if you drink.”

She tries to tell him that she's already been sick but her forearms feel like they're burning and rubs them absently against each other as she curls in on herself. Looking down, she watches as her hands start to shake. _Help. “_ What’s happening?”

Finn is on his knees in front of her chair and his lips are moving, but she can’t hear what he’s saying over the roar in her head.

Suddenly a hand grips her chin, forcing her head up to look in her eyes. He’s talking into a phone. _Oh great, the Dean is here to see me totally blow my work study program._

Her vision is fading and then she feels weightless. She can feel movement, a steady gait and then a descent. The small hand that touches her cheek is cold and suddenly an image of Professor Solo flares brightly before her. 

_‘Hold on, little Rey,’_ a strong male voice says over the roar. ‘ _Almost there.’_

They are moving again. The burning is becoming unbearable and she opens her mouth to scream, but even that sound can’t permeate to her ear. She starts to struggle, trying to escape the pain that is engulfing her. She imagines that she's begging, willing to do anything to get it to stop. 

_Please make it stop._

_It hurts._

  
  


_Help me._

  
  


_Please_

  
  


_Death would be better than this._

  
  


Strong arms grip her and she’s being held firmly against… something? Someone. She’s being given something to drink and she starts to refuse… 

but

Where the liquid touches, the fire goes out. She reaches for the source, gripping it tightly and drinks deep moaning as it soothes her burning throat.

_‘That’s it.’_

She can take a deep breath without her lungs burning and slowly her hands stop shaking, a calm lethargy spreading rapidly through her body as her swallows slow.

_‘You can sleep, Rey. I have you. You’ll never be alone again.’_

She tries to open her eyes but they’re so heavy. 

_Not alone._

She can feel the chest against her chuckle. _‘Sleep, Cyar’ika.’_

_That’s not my name._

Her irritation is not enough to keep her awake and she falls into a dreamless sleep.

  
  
  



	2. In Transition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you need anything,” his grandmother asks gently, opening a bottle of water before he can ask out loud.
> 
> He drinks deeply, replenishing his fluids, knowing she will wake hungry and need to feed until her transition is complete. “A steak and a couple of bags would be nice.”
> 
> Padme lifts the phone on his desk, pressing the button for his assistant. “I need a porterhouse cooked rare and 2 bags of AB-.” She hangs up without waiting for a response.
> 
> “As soon as you replenish yourself, we will help you take her home.” Aniken pulls his wife into his arms. “The doctor agrees, we need to reassess her DNA, but suggests waiting until after the transition is complete.”

He cradles her in one arm, tracing the freckles across her nose with his thumb in amazement. _She’s here._

From the moment he had _heard_ her cry for help, his beast had risen, half mad to protect her, but from what? When his grandparents had stepped off the elevator with Rey convulsing, there had been no time to question it. He put her face to his neck and opened his carotid, aiding her transition.

“Beloved, have you ever seen a transition like this before,” Aniken asks his mate.

Padme peers down at Rey, softly brushing back the hair at her brow. “I haven’t, but there are several ambiguities in this situation.”

“Like what,” Leia asks from the door.

Padme shakes her head, “I’m sorry, darling. You need to leave.” She crosses the room and shuts the door, then looks at her husband. “We need a cheek swab.”

Aniken raises his phone, moving to the corner of the room.

“Do you need anything,” his grandmother asks gently, opening a bottle of water before he can ask out loud.

He drinks deeply, replenishing his fluids, knowing she will wake hungry and need to feed until her transition is complete. “A steak and a couple of bags would be nice.”

Padme lifts the phone on his desk, pressing the button for his assistant. “I need a porterhouse cooked rare and 2 bags of AB-.” She hangs up without waiting for a response.

“As soon as you replenish yourself, we will help you take her home.” Aniken pulls his wife into his arms. “The doctor agrees, we need to reassess her DNA, but suggests waiting until after the transition is complete.”

“What do you mean _reassess_?” Ben’s protective instincts are firing. Logically he knows that it's because she’s incompacitated and can not protect herself, but an illogical part of him wants to hide her from the world and never let her out again.

“We gave her a blood test when she hired in, it showed some anomalies that required a check swab, but her sample went missing at the lab.”

“What do you mean went missing?”

“The technician that was processing the sample found the recessive gene on an unusual strand pairing and went to get his supervisor. When they returned everything was gone. The sample and the report.”

He pulls her closer, growling that there is even a specimen of her out there somewhere that he cannot protect. “Who had access? Surely there is security camera footage.”

“Whoever they were used a disrupter,” Aniken runs his hand over his face. “I’ve been looking for months.”

Voices in the outer office echo through the door and Ben can distinctly hear as Poe warns someone away. “You were turned by blood. They are both genetic. That’s the difference.”

“Let Finn in, I’m guessing that’s who Poe is yelling at.” Ben pulls his jacket tighter around her as her body shivers.

As soon as Finn sees Rey unconscious, he’s on his knees at her side, his hands grabbed by Poe before they make contact with her skin.

“You don’t touch a mate in the middle of transition,” Poe warns. “Ben, he’s barely a year old. I apologize.”

“Anyone who cares for my mate is a friend of mine,” Ben murmurs, unable to take his eyes off her face.

Seeing his mournful expression, Finn assumes the worst. “Is she not going to make it?”

“She will be fine, young one,” Padme assures him. “She just needs Ben’s blood to survive.”

Poe lays his hand on Ben’s shoulder, “I was there, Ben. Do not torture yourself. When she walked into my office, it’s a pure genetic transition. She has all the signs, she would have turned anyway.”

Ben knows Poe is right, but he can’t get the fact that he had bit her when she was just 6 years old out of his mind.

Pressure forms at the front of his mind and he see a forest and he’s moving quickly amongst the trees towards an incredible scent, scooping it up in his arms as his new teeth descend for the first time, he lowers his head, inhaling her scent, hearing her small gasp as he penetrates her then… bliss and horror. He withdrawals quickly, licking her wound closed then wills her to sleep. _How’d I know to do that?_ He lays her carefully among a patch of moss and hunts, desperate for blood. Knowing he has to lead danger away, far away from her. That danger is him.

The vision fades and he looks up to see tears falling down his Nana’s cheeks. “I don’t remember that at all.”

“You were fevered when your body rejected the blood they tried to feed you, so I’m not surprised. The important part is that you cared for and protected your mate.”

Finn looks up at him, head tilting in question. “Will you love her?”

Ben, feeling her tremors increase, presses her face back to his neck wincing slightly when her teeth puncture his neck. “I already do.”

“I don’t understand.”

Ben smiles, “I never did either. I thought it was the ancients romanticizing legends to make us behave, but this…” He inhales her scent again, his heart beating to the pull of her mouth. 

She finishes, pulling away. “Lick Rey,” Ben encourages, humming when she does. “Good girl.” He rocks her tenderly as she drifts back into sleep.

His steak arrives, his grandfather cutting his meat as if he were a child. Ben draws the line when his Nana tries to feed him, and grabs the fork, drinking deeply from his goblet between bites.

An hour later, Ben is lifting Rey to take her home and looks back to a still worried Finn. “Poe has all my phone numbers, if you call the house you’ll get Vanee.”

“You aren’t taking her to the penthouse?” Poe inquires, reaching for Finn’s hand.

Ben shakes his head, “I’m staying at Nana’s until Rey’s out of danger.”

He carries her out, flanked by their friends and barely registers the trip until his Nana grasps his hand. “Ben, we’re here.”

He exits into a closed garage, glad they’re not taking any risks and follows them up the stairs to his room.

“Vanee has stocked the frig for you and there’s a case of water. You need to start getting her to drink some before she feeds from you again.” Padme watches as he places her on the bed with a smile.

“When will the shedding begin?” He’s nervous about her care, he’s afraid he didn’t pay enough attention during the lectures they all tried to give him.

Aniken places his hand on Ben’s shoulder, “Breathe. You are going to do fine. I put the supplies I use for my mate in your bathroom. Usually, it starts around the 10-12 hour mark, keep an eye on her inner forearms. We are here if you need anything.”

He just stands and stares at her, memorizing her face until she starts to grow restless, pulling at her clothes.

_‘Hurts’_

_What hurts, Rey?_

_‘Feet’_

He reaches for her shoes and removes them and her socks, rubbing her insteps gently as she drops back into a deep sleep.

He reaches for a bottle of water and downs it, setting one by the bed for her, then heads for the bathroom. After relieving himself and washing he opens the boxes on the counter, reading the labels carefully.

_‘Help’_

_I’m here, Rey._ He rushes back to her side, placing the bottle at her lips. She refuses to drink, reaching for his neck. _No sweetheart, water first._

She presses her lips closed in defiance and he chuckles. He puts the bottle to his lips and fills his mouth, then lowers his lips to hers, holding her head still and forcing the water into her mouth. She struggles for a moment then swallows.

_‘More’_

He places the bottle at her lips and she turns her head in refusal. _My mate is playful._ He drinks another mouthful and lowers it to her lips and she drinks as if parched, then repeats until the bottle is empty and he raises her to place her mouth at his neck.

She tugs on him gently. _‘Rest’_

He toes off his shoes and lifts her to sit, then lay back against the pillows, cradling her on top of him. He doesn’t have to remind her to seal the wound with her tongue and she drifts back to sleep as her body continues to change.

_So beautiful_

_‘Thank you’_

_Heard that, huh? How are you feeling?_

_‘I’m so tired, Professor’_

_Call me Ben_

She smiles. _‘Ben’_

_‘Ben?... Ben?’_

_I’m here._

_‘My arm hurts’_

Ben reaches to turn on a lamp, but plunges the room back into darkness when she cries out. _Your eyes will be sensitive until you adjust. Let me light a candle._

He shields her from the match with his body and sets the candle across the room, moving quickly back to her side. He lifts her arm from the bed, running his thumb along the inside of her wrist. _Keep your eyes closed for now Cyar’ika._

_‘You said that before.’_

He looks at the skin falling to the bed and tries to keep his relief, excitement and nerves out of what he tells her next. 

_Rey, I need you to listen closely. Transition has many phases._

_‘Transition into what.’_

_Into what I am, what Poe and Finn are. Phase 1 is about accepting the ingested blood and whether or not you’re compatible. You are like me, you have a genetic anomaly so this was always going to happen, it was just a matter of when._

He can feel her exhausted mind trying to work and waits for her acceptance before continuing.

_‘Is there a phase 2?’_

_Yes, you are entering it now. Your body is making new cells and it’s going to rapidly expel the old ones. I can help make you comfortable, if you will allow it._

He watches silently as she reaches across her body to the wrist in his hand to run her fingers over the path he made with his thumb. The pad catches on an edge and she shivers as a layer lifts away.

‘ _That’s kinda disgusting’_

_Does it hurt?_

She considers a moment, touching the newly exposed place. _‘Not where the new is exposed. Is it the old skin that hurts?’_

He slips his arms around her and lifts her, carrying her to the bathroom. _More like the old is suffocating the new, the skin is an organ. I will help you exfoliate._

_‘You trying to get me naked, Professor?’_

Ben stills and she laughs weakly. Intimacy is strangely the furthest thing from his mind, he does a quick body check and yes, everything is dead where his libido is concerned.

_‘Ben, I’m teasing. I know what a mate is… the woman said mate.’_

“Do you need to use the toilet,” he asks aloud in a whisper, setting her down gently when she nods. He helps her with her pants and she sits, kicking the fabric off her feet. He can see where sheets of old cells adhere to the fabric and he has to capture her hands to keep her from scratching.

_You’ll damage yourself, no scratching._

_‘Yes, Daddy.’_ Even her mental voice has an attitude.

_Call me that in about 3 months and I'll keep you in bed for a week._

She pulls at her shirt and he helps her remove it, then her bra, keeping his eyes on her face. It takes a while for her bladder to empty and he’s thankful that she cannot see or smell quite yet, because it smells like death. He tries to remind himself that it’s only her human cells that are dying but needs to hear her words to settle the rising unease at the scent.

_Have you ever heard of dry brushing?_

She tilts her head. ‘ _Is that like using a bath brush without water?’_

 _Yes._ He carries her into the shower and sets her on a bench near the corner so she’s supported on two sides.

_‘I’m thirsty’_

He grabs two bottles and lifts the first to her lips, smirking when she makes a face. 

‘ _That tastes terrible, what happened to the water from before.”_

He laughs softly, careful with her sensitive ears, then takes a drink and offers her his mouth. Her lips are soft against his, her breath hitches as the fluid is passed between them.

_‘You’ve been feeding me water?’_

_You wouldn’t drink it. We have an inherent need to take care of our mate so I improvised and you instinctually trusted that your mate only wants to provide To your benefit, so you accepted._

She looks between the bottle and his mouth and he gives her more, then picks up a brush. He begins at her feet and works his way up, alternating between the brush, a pulmus stone, and exfoliating clothes depending on the delicacy of the tissue. He methodically works, lifting and turning to leave no area untouched.

 _This will feel strange but I promise it will all come back._ He thinks to her as he picks up a hairbrush and pulls it along her scalp, pulling off her hair in large tufts. He works one section at a time until it is all in a pile on the floor. He grabs the broom that was placed in the corner for this purpose and quickly sweeps up the skin and hair, not wanting to clog the drain.

_Ready for what’s next?_

She yawns, half asleep. ‘ _Can I sleep through it?’_

 _Sure._ He chuckles, reaching for the sugar scrub and beginning again at her feet.

She moans, abruptly stopping to place her hands over her ears.

_Your new ears are overly sensitive, it gets easier to block as you get used to it._

When he gets to her face, he changes to a more gentle scrub that smells like his Nana, returning to the body scrub for her scalp, which sloughs off in a single sheet from crown to the base of her skull. He grabs another exfoliating cloth and gently washes her ears thoroughly.

He strips quickly, then adjusts the shower to lukewarm then rinses her with the handheld, running his hands over her flesh to look for any remaining patches that would cause her discomfort. He finds one behind her left knee and hits the area with more sugar scrub, rinses, then turns off the water. The towels are warm from the cabinet under the sink, and she sighs in contentment as he wraps her up and sits her on the counter.

_I need you to brush out your mouth, then I’ll give you a rinse to swish and spit out, do not swallow it._

He hands her a brush without paste and watches intently as she runs it over her teeth, gums and tongue. She swishes and spits with her face pinched and he can relate because he remembers the taste as being horrid.

 _You never have to taste that ever again, I promise._ He takes a drink of water and offers her his mouth, which she readily accepts.

_‘Thank you’_

_Anything for you Cyar’ika._

_‘There’s that word again’_

_In the ancient tongue, it means darling or sweetheart._

She nuzzles into his chest as he takes her back to bed so she can rest, noticing that someone has snuck in to change the sheets. He lays her down, pulls the sheet up over her, then grabs the goblet on the bedside table and replenishes himself.

_‘What’s that?’_

_AB-_

_‘It smells… not bad but not particularly appetizing either.’_

_It’s not for you, I need to replenish. The next time you feed I’ll need all the reserves I can get._

She’s silent but he can feel her now, and her tension is rising.

_‘Could I hurt you?’_

_Mates cannot harm each other Rey, it’s hard-wired into our DNA._

She nods as she drifts off to sleep. He finishes his goblet and sets it aside, climbing in beside her and pulling her to his chest. When she wakes next she will drain him almost completely, stopping right before his heart bursts and then she’ll pass out while his body goes into hibernation to restore itself.

When they rise, the bond will be complete and neither of them will ever walk alone again.

He will be hers.

_Forever_

  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Bonded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘If you feed from Ben right now, you could harm him.’
> 
> She recoils at the thought, reaching out for him in the dark and finds him behind her and he’s cold.
> 
> He’s so cold.
> 
> ‘His body is in hibernation, recovering from your transition.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> World building is harder than I thought. I wanted to get the basics set for the species, and I’m pretty happy with it all at the moment.
> 
> I have been told that there’s no way this should be the end... and it’s not my intention.
> 
> To respect the wishes of those who Prefer not to read explicit material, I’ve kept this rated M. We will be coming up on mating soon, and there’s no way to not rate that E. So I’m going to write this one in series for those who would like a choice. I’ll put the summary for each part of the series in the Summary and tag heavily so that you can get the gist and choose accordingly.
> 
> For while our couple has been isolated in safety as Rey transitions, all is not well in the vampire world.

_ Something smells delicious. _

As soon as Rey forms the thought, colors explode behind her closed eyelids, cocooning her in a feeling of warmth and amusement. Slowly the colors shift to the sight of her sliding off a bed and crossing the room to open a door. 

The image is vivid and she feels so pressed with a sense of urgency that she’s sure is not hers. She feels languid and peaceful for the first time in her life.  The image repeats...

  
  


Again 

  
  
  
  


and again 

  
  
  
  
  
  


and again…

  
  
  
  
  
  


_ ‘Rey _ ,’ a male voice intrudes on her dreamlike state.  _ ‘We need you to come out so Ben’s Nana can help clean you up. You can have some food now, but you need to come out. If you feed from Ben right now, you could harm him.” _

She recoils at the thought, reaching out for him in the dark and finds him behind her and he’s cold.

_ He’s so cold. _

_ ‘His body is in hibernation, recovering from your transition.’ _

She leans over to kiss his cheek, her fingers running through his hair then she remembers and sits up straight, both hands flying to her head. She doesn’t remember her hair being this thick and suddenly she feels… gritty.

A picture of a huge bath flashes before her eyes in the darkness and she laughs, leans back to Ben to whisper, “I’ll be back, your Nana is going to feed me.”

His body relaxes, if that’s possible in his unconscious state, a long exhale that sinks him into the mattress in repose.

Rey slides off the bed, her knees weak and her stomach in cramps, pitching her body forward, her hand reaching out to protect herself as she falls into a chair. She rests for a moment, then uses her arms to pull herself up and stumble towards where the images in her mind tell her there’s a door. She pushes down on the handle and falls into the arms of a woman in a blue robe. 

“There you are, sweet girl. We have you, let’s get you some broth to warm you. Anakin will take care of Benjamin,” says Padme Amidala-Skywalker. 

Rey shakes her head, she’s dreaming, she has to be, the woman in front of her has been dead for at least a decade. A robe is thrown around her shoulders and she’s assisted down the hall to a set of open double doors to a room awash in candlelight.

“How are your eyes,” the other woman murmurs. “Do I need to blow some of the candles out?”

Rey looks around, astonished by the detail she can see even in the low light, craning her neck to examine the weave on the sofa as she’s led into a bathroom.

They take her straight to the toilet, “Your cramps will pass once you expel the rest of your old cells.”

Several toilet flushes later, they help her into the shower and Rey melts into their hands. “Why am I not freaking out right now?”

The woman she doesn’t know laughs, “I remember thinking that about this time too when I turned. Truth is, women are practical in nature and right now, you couldn’t scratch your nose if you tried.”

Rey tries.

Both women smirk, rinse her off then lead her to a bath to soak. The water is hot and slowly she starts to warm. “I didn’t realize I was cold. How long?”

They look at each other, Padme nods her head then leaves. “It has been 4 days since you collapsed at the office.” The woman brings a cup of steamy liquid to her mouth and flavors explode on Rey’s tongue. “Every taste, sound and sight will be amplified. There will be an adjustment period, don’t rush it.”

Rey drinks the broth and between the heat sliding down her throat and the warmth of the water surrounding her she drifts in contentment. 

Except 

There’s something… an itch, right in the center of her chest. She takes a deep breath and the feeling expands and a growl escapes her throat.

“Something is wrong,” she admits right as there’s an incessant knocking on the outer doors. There are lowered voices in the other room then Padme brings in a goblet that smells familiar. “Let me guess, AB-?”

“I need a couple drops of your blood, my dear. You are not strong enough to feed Benjamin yet, but he’s refusing to replenish himself.”

Rey lays her hand, palm up in Padme’s outstretched hand, looking away as a needle descends into a protruding vein.

“You need to hydrate,” the other woman says, opening a bottle of water and handing it to her.

Rey drinks with a smile, remembering how Ben had shared water with her, her eyes closing at the memory of his lips on hers.

Padme clears her throat, “Yes, well. I’ll get this to him and be right back. Leia, see if she can handle something solid.” Padme leaves in a rush and Rey can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.

“Is Ben going to be okay? Did I hurt him?”

Leia shakes her head, “I heard his heartbeat when you opened the door, I am sure he’s fine.”

“He doesn’t feel fine,” Rey mutters, moving to her knees to lift her torso out of the water. She feels like someone is sitting on her chest and she gasps for air. “Can I get out? I don’t feel well.”

Leia helps her, wrapping her in a thick bathrobe then letting her sit on the side of the tub. “Deep breaths, Rey. In. Out.”

Both heads turn towards the crash from down the hall and Rey is up and out of the bathroom before Leia can stop her. She only gets to the chair in front of a roaring fire before she collapses into it. “It’s Ben, isn’t it?”

“My father is cleaning him up, there’s no threat, my father will not allow it. Ben is his heir.”

_ Heir? _

_ ‘Ben?’ _

_ Where are you? _

She thinks of the double doors, not sure of where they are to tell him, but they crash open and there he is, staring at her in relief. “Found you,” he says as he drops to his knees and puts his head in her lap.

“Ben, she hasn’t eaten yet,” his mother chides him as she sets some tea and toast on a table beside Rey. 

Rey nibbles, growing tired and she’s barely finished with half a piece before Ben is lifting and carrying her to a large bed in a dark corner, pulling the curtains around them as they wrap around each other and dream.

Later, his arms hold her tightly to his chest until she whispers needing the bathroom, then he grumbles as she slips free. When finished she heads to the sink, flipping the lights on reflex and closes her eyes tight against the glare. She feels her way to the sink, washing her hands then throws water on her face, carefully wiping the sleep from her lashes. 

The reflection in the mirror gives her pause, she still looks exactly like herself… but not. Her freckles are still across her nose but there’s a light in her eyes that wasn’t there before and she looks…

_ Beautiful _

She turns to see him standing in the door. “I thought I’d look different.”

“You are still you, Rey.” He reaches out a hand to her. “I’ve ordered you more food.”

He guides her back to the fire and wraps a blanket around her before handing her a bowl of stew. 

“You are not eating,” she asks in concern. He feels… diminished.

He shakes his head, “They’re bringing me a goblet.”

“Why didn’t they bring it with the food,” she asks as she takes a bite, moaning at the flavors.

“They’re surprised that I’m awake,” he yawns, sitting next to her on the floor amused as she consumes her food as if half-starved.

She licks her lips. “I thought vampires only drink blood.”

He laughs. “We are a separate species, Rey, not the monsters depicted in books. We eat, we mate, we have children.” He leans down and inhales the skin at her neck as the door opens.

“That’s enough, Ben. She can’t feed you yet,” Leia chastises, holding out a goblet.

Rey still doesn’t think it smells appetizing, but she snatches it and inhales. It’s not awful, just uninteresting. She looks up into Ben’s amused face and asks, “What does it taste like?”

“Ashes”

“Then why do you drink it? I mean if we can eat food.”

“I’m a vampire, blood is necessary. There are nutrients we can not make for ourselves.” Ben leans forward and takes the goblet as he kisses the corner of her mouth. “We have time, eat. We need to rest again.”

Rey ends up eating 2 bowls of stew and they share 5 bottles of water, then head back to bed.

Rey dreams.

She stands in a clearing, sunshine streaming to the ground in ribbons as she watches the butterflies swarm around her. She had been looking for something, but the wonder that fills her has her attention now and she’s so captivated she feels as if she could fly too. So it doesn’t alarm her when her body lifts, she feels the warmth of the sun at her back and relaxes as it pulls her in close. The scratch at her neck isn’t what upsets her, it’s the speed at which the warmth withdraws that leaves her bereft and reaching, but she’s sleepy and curls into the soft soft ground to rest. 

_ Forgive me.  _ The boy sounds terrified and she tries to comfort him but he fades and she’s left with dreams of sun and butterflies and warmth.

The dream swirls dark and she sees Ben, standing looking out over the city. Alone. An emptiness threatens to consume him from within and she can feel how much he hates… this. It’s in how he holds his shoulders as he stares out the window, it’s in how he walks across campus, which is where she first saw him as she sat with her back to a tree. She’s struck by how realistic the dream is becoming as she breathes in the warm spring air and he chuckles in her ear.  _ Is this when you first saw me? _

_ ‘Yes’ _

_ I look depressed. _

_ ‘Were you?’ _

She feels his sigh as his chest exhales against her.  _ I think I was missing you.  _

She nuzzles her face deeper into his chest. “You bit me and then left.”

He stills and she can feel the horror rising in him.

“I’m more upset by you leaving than anything else,” she whispers then playfully bites his peck. “How are you feeling?”

Ben considers, then shrugs. “I’m fully awake, but I doubt I am capable of much activity.” His eyes glaze for a moment before he adds, “We’re invited to dinner.”

Rey runs her fingers up his chest and over his collar bone, gasping when she gets to his neck. She rolls, reaching for the switch to turn on the lights.

“Ben,” she exclaims, horrified by the scarring on his skin. “Tell me I didn’t do that...”

His lips claim hers and she’s flooded with the feelings of pride, acceptance and glee and she pushes him away, laughing.

“Are you kidding me? Is this a macho, yes, she marked me good, kind of thing?”

“Mate marks are sacred. It’s rare to turn one's own mate, we are blessed.” He kisses her again. 

“How does it normally go,” Rey curiously asks as she kisses the wounds she gave him.

Ben is moaning in bliss, holding her gently as he stumbles a reply. “Painful. I almost died.”

_ ‘Rey _ ,’ the male voice is back. “ _ Feed Ben 6-7 mouthfuls and bring him to dinner. _ ’

She blinks. “Did you hear him?”

“Who?”

“There’s a man that talks in my head. It kinda hurts. It’s not like when you talk to me.”

_ You like it when I talk to you? _

_ ‘Yes’ _

_ What did he say? _

_ ‘To feed you 6-7 mouthfuls and bring you to dinner. Do you know who he is?’ _

_ My grandfather can project his thoughts.  _ He runs his hands up Rey’s back, pulling her into his lap, then lifts her wrist to his mouth, placing a kiss on her pulse point.  _ May I? _

Rey nods then watches in fascination as his teeth descend, gently piercing her flesh. ‘ _ It doesn’t hurt.’ _

_ Wait until you go into heat,  _ he chuckles. He takes only 6 long pulls, then licks the wound closed. “Would you like to shower first?”

She races to the bathroom, uses the toilet then hops in the shower, washing quickly. “I’m starving all of a sudden,” she calls out as she exits. “Your turn.”

She brushes her teeth, then squeezes the water out of her hair. “You didn’t lie, it came back… but this is new.”

He steps out of the shower, towel around his waist and laughs. “You could have used a conditioner.”

She looks back at him confused, “I have never understood the purpose of that stuff.” 

He shakes his head and opens a cabinet, pulling out a spray bottle and steps behind her. “Will you allow me to take care of it for you then?”

He doesn’t wait for her nod to proceed, just begins working her hair from ends to root. She watches their reflection, he’s different. More.

_ More what? _

“I’m not sure yet,” she moans as he massages her scalp, then braids her hair, relaxing into his fingers… and then she remembers. “Did you call Padme Amidala-Skywalker ‘Nana’?”

He smirks, “Who do you think is calling us for dinner?”

“I remember her memorial service, you know.” They had broadcast it live over the internet, she had been wildly popular; former senator, businesswoman and philanthropist.

“She was tired of the scrutiny, besides, it all interfered with her job.” He finishes her hair then starts on his own. She sits on the counter and watches him, his cheeks no longer hollow.

“There are clothes in the closet for you if you want to pick something,” he says as he heads to the door, jerking his head for her to follow. They quickly throw on clothes, Rey picks a soft pajama pants set with long sleeves and a robe, laughing brightly when she notices Ben has chosen something similar. They reluctantly leave their rooms, Ben leading the way up a set of stairs to a security checkpoint.

The officer behind the desk nods to Ben, “You can go right in MiLord.”

Ben opens the door for her then follows, grabbing her hand to pull her into a small dining room.

“There you are my dear,” Padme says, standing to reach and pull Rey into a hug. “How are you?”

“Actually, I feel like I could eat an entire cow.”

Everyone laughs and they sit, eating course after course in silence.

Rey is on her third plate of pot roast when Ben looks at his grandparents and asks, “How long?”

Aniken pushes back his empty dessert plate and sips his coffee before answering. “5 weeks.”

“5 weeks for what,” Rey asks looking from face to face.

Ben has stopped eating, his eyes on his Grandfather as he grasps Rey’s hand and brings it to his lips.

“Stop it both of you. It’s rude,” Padme rebukes. “Rey if you are willing, I would like to run some tests. It has been a very long time since there’s been a transition such as yours.”

“How long, exactly,” Rey asks, picking up on something in the woman’s eyes. 

“1732 years.”

“That’s very specific,” Rey looks at Ben confused by his fingers tightening around hers.

“You turned Grandfather?” Ben’s eyes are wide.

Padme blushes, looking fondly at her mate. “I am older than he is by a couple hundred years.”

_ ‘Ben?’ _

_ She needs a history lesson.  _ She hears Ben’s thought but he’s looking at Aniken.

“We don’t know the name of the first vampire, but we know she was a woman who had 3 vampire sons. The eldest was named Nickoli, next came Alexi then finally Petrov. Now Petrov we do not have much data on, because his line was wiped out in the third generation, but we know his vampirism genes that signal transition were in his 11th set of DNA strands. Human research has shown us that blood deficiencies occur in this location, so that might have contributed.”

“So who are you descended from,” Rey asks Padme.

“Alexi was my great grandfather, I remember him as a man of two faces. The one he showed the world and the other he had only for his family. I still miss him.”

“He died before I was born, but my mate has shared him with me. His DNA had the transition strands on the 9th set. Nickoli’s is on the 15th.”

“Is that why you took a cheek swab when you hired me?” Rey’s mind seizes, Padme and Aniken trading glances.

“Rey, what did you just do?” Aniken asks calmly.

“I can’t sense her at all now, Ben?”

Rey looks at Ben and he smiles, “She feels threatened.” She exhales, relieved and realizes that he’s relaxed and enjoying his grandparent’s discomfort.

‘ _ Incorrigible’ _

“We’d like to check it again now that you’re finished with your transition,” Aniken interrupts.

“What pair is mine on?”

“The technician swears it’s on the 4th.”

Ben’s thumb grazes her knuckles, the motion soothing and Rey realizes she’s tired. Again. “Is there a practical reason it matters or is it mere curiosity?”

Padme smiles, “You are right. This can wait. Go. Rest. We will be here when you wake.”

Ben leads Rey back to their rooms, locks the doors and pulls the curtains around them as they lay facing each other in the darkness.

_ You don’t need to be frightened, nothing is going to happen to you. _

_ ‘How do you know?’ _

_ Mates are sacred… and you are mine. _

_ ‘That just means I’m putting you into danger.’ _

He pulls her into him, his lips finding hers and she moans at the taste of his blood on his lips, her eyes getting heavy and she falls into a deep sleep.

When Ben wakes feeling refreshed and reaches for Rey, to find her side of the bed empty. He closes his eyes and reaches, smiling when he feels a breeze on her face and wonder in her heart.

_ “What is it?’ _

_ Ben, I can see the rings of Saturn, without a telescope. _

He chuckles, “Come back to bed, Cyar’ika.”

He hears her feet rushing towards him so he lifts the covers and smiles when she slips in, her lips on his.

He rolls her under him and pins her. “Are you trying to seduce me Rey?”

She stills, confusion coming off of her in waves. “I probably should, but I’m not… I mean it’s not that I don’t find you attractive, but… why… Ben?”

He kisses her softly, “Your body is still acclimating, it’ll come.”

_ You need to feed now.  _ Her body is pliant under him and the moment she thinks it, his throat goes dry.

‘ _ Are you sure?’ _

_ I’ve eaten and slept 4 times since we had dinner with your grandparents. Feed. _

He nuzzles her neck, inhaling her scent right over her vein and softly presses his incisors in. Her blood is a fiery nectar that soothes him, all the way down to his marrow and he’s humbled as she runs her fingers over his head and shoulders, encouraging him to take what he needs.

_ Oh Ben,  _ she mentally sighs as he licks the wound closed. 

“How are you feeling now, was that too much?” He rolls on his back, pulling her to his chest as she yawns.

_ Happy. I feel… happy. _

He holds her close as she falls asleep, his mind tracking the changes in her breathing and body as she slips into a dormant state. He exhales in relief, another milestone in her transition reached. She will be fine.

He closes his eyes feeling her blood work inside of him, strengthening him from within. His mind drifts and he’s suddenly dancing in a ballroom, Rey in his arms wearing a green gown. She looks up to look in his eyes, her lips moving to say, “I love you, Cyare.”

He wakes, hyper aware of every detail in the quiet room. Rey stirs, and he kisses her head then slips out of bed, checking the room, relaxing when he hears the tsk on the other side of the door. He pulls on a sweater then slips out into the hall, closing the door behind him.

“How is Rey,” Finn demands. “You said she’d be fine, it’s been 10 weeks.”

Ben blinks, looking over to Poe and Hux.

“Did Vanee not keep you updated?”

Poe snickers, “Vanee told him she was asleep and that she had eaten. That was about it.”

“What else is there? Poe you could have helped him better.”

“I tried, but Rey is the closest thing to a family he has,” Poe shrugs sadly. “And he didn’t believe me. He only has his own transition to draw a comparison.”

Ben remembers Finn’s transition, the long hours at the hospital, the pain in his screams and shudders.

“She had no pain, Finn. I would never allow that.” Ben puts his hand on the man’s shoulder and squeezes. “I love her too.”

Hux pushes off the wall he’s been holding up and asks, “How are you? You look like the boy I once knew.”

Poe’s eyes narrow in assessment as he nods, acknowledging Hux’s words, then smiles. “Welcome back, Ben.”

Ben rubs his hand over his head, laughing. “I had forgotten.” He looks down at the floor, then back at the door. “She’s sleeping. She fed me, so we will both be fine now.”

3 heads snap up and turn to look down the hall, only Finn still looking at the bedroom door, as Aniken comes around the corner and approaches them with a smile. “Well this brings back memories.”

“My Lord,” Hux and Poe nod their heads in respect, then Poe pulls Finn to him, “Aniken Skywalker, this is my mate, Finn.”

Aniken stares at Finn until he squirms, but Ben’s in too good a mood and starts laughing, leaving all of them in laughter, while Finn is back to looking confused.

Aniken smiles wide, “Finn, it’s okay. She will be fine, she’s just recovering from feeding Ben for the first time. I remember how content I slept after I fed Padme for the first time, she’s happy. Trust me. If you’ll excuse us, I need Ben.”

Poe and Hux each pull Finn by the arm. “Come on, I’ll buy you both a drink to celebrate your sister’s transition,” Hux is heard saying as they descend the stairs.

“That one is harmless,” Aniken says, amused.

Ben shakes his head, “No, he’d defend her well, I think. I am going to ask him to join her guard off-book.”

“The queen has told me to back off of testing. Rey is correct. It hardly matters which DNA strand set holds her transition trigger since it’s now complete. She thinks we frightened her.”

“She was more concerned that she’d bring danger to me. She said that I was your heir?”

Aniken looks at his grandson sheepishly as he walks away, “You are a good man, Ben and now you have an amazing woman to keep you inline. Besides… Who else would we choose?”

Ben shakes his head with a laugh, slipping back into their room.

_ ‘Dinner in 10 nights, Ben. Time to present her as ours.”  _ His grandfather adds the purpose of his visit only after Ben shuts the door.

It’s cheating is what it is, leaving no room for discussion.  _ Yes, Sir. _

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I am on twitter at @lady0fhaven


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